Core Viewpoint - The 2026 DT New Leaf Award is a global, professional, and comprehensive award focused on innovations in the bio-based sector, often referred to as the "Oscar of the bio-based industry" [2][31]. Group 1: Event Details - The award ceremony will take place from March 23 to March 26, 2026, with live streaming of the evaluation process [2][31]. - The final award winners will be announced during the 11th Bio-based Conference and Exhibition on May 21, 2026, in Shanghai [2]. Group 2: Award Categories and Schedule - The awards include four categories: Innovation Materials Award, Innovation Application Award, Most Commercially Valuable Award, and Innovative Industry Solution Award [31]. - The schedule for the awards is as follows: - Innovation Materials Award: March 23, 13:00-15:10 (first half), 15:30-17:30 (second half) [3][31]. - Innovation Application Award: March 24, 13:30-15:10 (first half), 15:40-17:20 (second half) [7][31]. - Most Commercially Valuable Award: March 25, 13:30-15:00 (first half), 15:30-16:40 (second half) [10][31]. - Innovative Industry Solution Award: March 26, 13:30-14:40 (first half), 15:00-16:40 (second half) [12][31]. Group 3: Participating Companies and Products - Over 50 representative companies and more than 70 new products will participate in the competition [2][31]. - Notable products include bio-based 1,4-butanediamine, non-food cellulose crystalline glucose, and various bio-based materials and solutions [4][5][8][10]. Group 4: Evaluation Process - A panel of over 20 experts from various industries, including footwear, automotive, packaging, and home appliances, will evaluate the entries [14]. - The evaluation will occur online from March 23 to March 27, 2026 [14]. Group 5: Industry Context - The event aims to promote resource integration across the bio-based industry, supporting the green and low-carbon transformation of sectors such as packaging, footwear, and automotive [45]. - The 11th Bio-based Conference and Exhibition will feature 11 thematic forums, 7 concurrent activities, and 1000 new product displays, highlighting global strategic trends and opportunities in the bio-based sector [33].

Core Viewpoint - The 2026 DT New Leaf Award aims to recognize and promote innovation in the bio-based industry, showcasing over 50 participating companies and 70 products, with voting and evaluation processes set to take place from March 16 to March 27, 2026, culminating in an award ceremony on May 21, 2026, during the 11th Bio-based Conference in Shanghai [5][30]. Group 1: Award Structure and Process - The DT New Leaf Award is a global, professional, and comprehensive award focused on innovation in the bio-based sector, often referred to as the "Oscar of the bio-based industry" [5]. - The award features four main categories: Most Innovative Application Award, Innovative Materials Award, Most Commercially Valuable Award, and Innovative Industry Solutions Award [3][11]. - Voting will consist of online votes (20%) and expert evaluations (80%), with a total score of 100 points [30][31]. Group 2: Participating Companies and Products - Over 50 companies have registered, with notable entries including: - China Resources Double Crane with 1,4-Butanediamine - Qi Ye Technology with non-grain cellulose crystalline glucose and high-quality enzymatic lignin [7][9]. - The Innovative Materials Award aims to discover key platform compounds and encourage source innovation from "0" to "1" [6]. Group 3: Evaluation Criteria - The evaluation criteria for the awards include: - Innovation in technology and application - Functionality - Commercial value - Sustainability [31]. - Each award category has specific weightings for these criteria, emphasizing the importance of both innovation and commercial viability [31]. Group 4: Jury and Expert Involvement - A jury of over 20 experts from various sectors, including footwear, automotive, packaging, and home appliances, will participate in the evaluation process [14]. - The jury will conduct online assessments during the evaluation phase from March 23 to March 27, 2026 [14]. Group 5: Event Timeline - Key dates for the award process include: - Registration deadline: March 13, 2026 - Online voting: March 16-22, 2026 - Expert evaluation: March 23-27, 2026 - Award ceremony: May 21, 2026 [30]. Group 6: Industry Impact - The DT New Leaf Award aims to bridge the gap between laboratory innovations and market applications, providing a platform for bio-based materials to find practical uses [10]. - The initiative is expected to drive the bio-based industry towards sustainable development and low-carbon solutions [5].

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the launch of the 2026 DT New Leaf Award, focusing on innovative companies in the bio-based materials sector, particularly Shanghai Sipeng Technology Co., Ltd., which is competing for the "Innovative Materials Award" with its Yogtic high-performance bio-based polyester [2][3]. Group 1: Company Overview - Shanghai Sipeng Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2022 and is the only company globally that has achieved the direct synthesis of polylactic acid (PLA) from carbon dioxide in a single step within cells [3]. - The company has developed a technology that addresses the issues of competition for food and land in the production of bio-based materials, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and aiming to tackle plastic pollution, non-food-based bio-manufacturing, and carbon neutrality [3]. - Since its inception, the company has secured several rounds of financing totaling nearly 100 million yuan, including angel round and Pre-A round funding [3]. Group 2: Product Development - The company has launched multiple bio-based products, including biobased butanediol "biowatol" in collaboration with Angel Yeast, and the Yogtic series of bio-based materials, which have been adopted by well-known brands such as Shanghai Hero Group and Platinum in Japan [4]. - The Yogtic high-performance bio-based polyester addresses the limitations of traditional bio-based polyesters, such as brittleness and insufficient heat resistance, by enhancing flexibility and impact resistance through innovative modification techniques [6]. - The Yogtic products have achieved a light transmittance of ≥92% and a tensile elongation of ≥100%, making them suitable for high-end stationery, toys, cosmetics packaging, and fresh-keeping films [6][7]. Group 3: Market Position and Performance - The Yogtic bio-based polyester has transitioned from the laboratory phase to stable mass production, achieving a good product yield rate of over 95% and entering the supply chains of renowned brands [7]. - The performance of Sipeng's bio-based products is comparable to or exceeds that of traditional petroleum-based materials, with some grades replacing imported polycarbonate (PC) [7]. - The company has implemented a "smart factory" concept to enhance energy efficiency and reduce production costs through iterative carbon source strategies [7].

Core Viewpoint - The 2026 DT New Leaf Award aims to recognize and promote innovation in the bio-based industry, showcasing sustainable solutions and products that contribute to low-carbon development [4][10]. Group 1: Award Overview - The 2026 DT New Leaf Award is a global, professional, and comprehensive award focused on innovation in the bio-based sector, often referred to as the "Oscar of the bio-based industry" [4]. - The award is organized by DT New Materials and the Bio-based Energy and Materials Committee, emphasizing the importance of renewable biomass and green technology [4]. - The online voting period is set from March 16 to March 22, 2026, followed by an online review from March 23 to March 27, 2026 [4][25]. Group 2: Participating Companies and Products - Over 50 listed and representative companies have submitted more than 70 new products for the 2026 DT New Leaf Award [4]. - Notable entries include: - China Resources Double Crane: 1,4-Butanediamine [6] - Qi Ye Technology: Non-grain cellulose crystalline glucose and high-quality enzymatic lignin [6] - Haosen Bio: Bio-based 1,5-Pentanediol [6] - Various other companies with innovative bio-based materials and applications [6][7][8]. Group 3: Award Categories - The awards include several categories: - Innovation Material Award: Focuses on discovering key platform compounds and innovative materials [5]. - Innovation Application Award: Bridges laboratory innovations to market applications [7]. - Most Commercially Valuable Award: Identifies future stars in the bio-based industry with both environmental and economic value [8]. - Innovative Industry Solution Award: Addresses common challenges in large-scale production and quality control [9]. Group 4: Evaluation Process - The evaluation will involve a panel of over 20 experts from various industries, including sportswear, automotive, packaging, and home appliances [10]. - The scoring system allocates 20 points for online voting and 80 points for expert reviews, totaling 100 points for each entry [25][26].